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Super Rugby Aotearoa: Highlanders player ratings vs Crusaders

By Mike Rehu
(Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

The beer and break dancing were on ice in Christchurch as the Crusaders knew they could snatch the first Super Rugby Aotearoa title with a week remaining. All they had to do was beat the Highlanders but Southern derbies are never that straight-forward.

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The Highlanders gave their all and with twenty minutes left they were in the driver’s seat. However the Crusaders slipped into their famous final quarter surge with three tries to finish at a canter 32-22.

Here are the Highlanders player ratings.

1. Ayden Johnstone – 6

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Aaron Mauger speaks to media

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Aaron Mauger speaks to media

Highlanders played smart with quick scrum ball and Johnstone held his side up well. Off at halftime.

2. Ash Dixon – 7.5

Continued the solid work at the line out from the simple, to two extravagant looping long throws to Nareki. Lovely turnover at 35 minutes to shut down Crusaders attack. Off at 57 minutes just as the wheels came off, proving he’s a good, calming counter as a leader to the pepped up Smith.

3. Siate Tokolahi – 6.5

Great tackle on Jordan in 32nd minute as he almost perforated the line. Off at 50.

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4. Pari Pari Parkinson – 7.5

Good bust and pop at 30 minutes to Aaron Smith. Is a real menace with ball in hand, it must be like trying to tackle a 120 kilo octopus when he’s on the run. Struggled in the second half with his sticks and off at 55 minutes.

5. Jack Whetton – 7

Great aggressive tackle after one minute that lit the fuse for the Frizell try. Couldn’t stay away from the ball in the first stanza with wonderful link work finding Aaron Smith. Off at halftime.

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6. Shannon Frizell – 8

There’s no more physically intimidating player in Aotearoa than the Highlander’s flanker. Great try, and took genuine delight in smashing all the Crusaders power runners and defenders.

7. Dillon Hunt – 6.5

Came in to his own after half time as other’s legs tired.

8. Marino Mikaele-Tu’u – 6

Solid but missed a chance to shine in a big match. Off at 65.

9. Aaron Smith – 7

Is the passionate, driving force of the Highlanders no doubt and a stand-out player. Sometimes as a leader and decision maker, you need a calmness and there were three or four times during the game that Smith’s decisions or execution let his team down. A kick into touch on the full off a quick tap penalty, a chip kick on attack when Dillon Hunt was on his shoulder, a kick out on the full at 60 minutes from just outside his 22 were moments where a cool head may have reaped more dividends.

10. Josh Ioane – 7.5

Is a nifty threat with ball in hand and a sure tackler on defence. Set up the Collin’s try with some balletic moves and the stop-step at 65 minutes were breath-taking.

11. Jona Nareki – 7

Got caught out in defence for the Mo’unga try. Amazing offload to Whetton in 18th minute. Swooped in for the intercept try at the 24th minute. A very unorthodox player so you have to take the rough with the smooth. Off at 55 minutes.

12. Patelesio Tomkinson – 7.5

Ran a delicious dummy run for Frizell’s try. Up like an exocet in defence, no more than his mash of Goodhue in the 50th. Got the yellow card for the hit on Jager which drove a nail into the southerner’s coffin but he had an outstanding game.

13. Michael Collins – 6.5

Flew under the radar until 53 minutes and finished well for his try in the 55th.

14. Josh McKay – 7

Good run that led to Frizell try. Determined tracking back to drag down Ennor just before halftime. Then again in the 46th minute put an abrupt halt to Crusaders celebration with a steal on Hall.

15. Mitch Hunt – 6.5

Lovely kick along the touchline at 34 minutes for a 50 metre gain, a good link in set up to Collins try.

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16. Liam Coltman – 5.5

On at 57 minutes, Coltman’s a good player but the Highlanders seemed to miss Dixon.

17. Daniel Lienert-Brown – 6

On at halftime and played well.

18. Jeff Thwaites – 6      

On at 50. Great turnover at 52 and some skilful play.

19. Manaaki Selby-Rickit – 6

On at halftime. Good first up tackles but just lost his bearings in the line for the 2nd Bridge try.

20. Teariki Ben-Nicolas – N/A

On at 65.

21. Folau Fakatava – N/A

22. Ngatungane Punivai – 5.5

On at 55 and some good defence.

23. Jesse Parete – 5

On at 55 and his hands let him down.

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Jon 8 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 11 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

44 Go to comments
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FEATURE Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby? Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?
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